Harrah Police: Man Lucky To Be Alive After Freak Accident

Police say a metro man is lucky to be alive after he was pinned under a four wheeler in a freak accident.

Ron Simon was recovering at St. Anthony Hospital Wednesday evening after quite the ordeal Tuesday night. Both police and Simon say if it wasn't for a simple piece of technology, he may not have survived.

It started as a hunting trip, but in an instant, it turned into an accident. At first, Simon was pinned underneath the weight of his four wheeler. Rescuers had to rappel down a steep embankment Tuesday evening in a secluded area near Harrah in order to save Simon.

Deputies say Simon misjudged the incline, which is fairly steep. The man landed about 20 feet down the embankment into a muddy mess.

"There was nothing I could do to stop it," said Simon.

Simon says he could barely move. In fact, he broke his shoulder blade, collar bone and five ribs.

"I think God had his hand on me last night and moved that four wheeler off me because I don't know how I got under the four wheeler to laying free of the four wheeler," said Simon.

Because of the Divine intervention, Simon says he was able to move just enough to grab his cell phone.

"Were it not for that cell phone, it would have been a lot harder to find this guy," said Harrah police officer Phil Stewart.

The fact that the phone helped save Simon's life had Simon offering safety tips Wednesday evening.

"Make sure you have some way to save your own butt," said Simon as he proudly showed off his cell phone.

Simon says he feels guilty that his accident risked the lives of his rescuers. He says he will always be thankful for their service.

"That's a good bunch of guys right there," said Simon in reference to his rescuers.

Simon is expected to make a full recovery. There was no word late Wednesday on when he will leave the hospital.